Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-10-19
OUR NEW WATER WORKS.
Inc Committee of the New England In.
s"rance Exchange Highly pleased with
Yesterdays Exhibition.

AAc Oh tne New England In.
s"rance Exchange Highly pleased with
Yesterdays Exhibition.
The committee of the New England Insur-
ance Exchange, consisting of the following
gentlemen, met here yesterday for the pur-
pose OF examining the new water works, and
revising the rates of instance: Geo. W.
Eastman, of the N. H. Insurance Co., Chair
man, Henry E. Hess of Conn. Insurance Co.
of Hartford, and President of the New Eng
land Insurance Exchange, Geo. w. Hinkley
OF the Royal, London and Lancashire, and
Pennsylvania Insurance Cos, Frank E. Col
ley OF Union Insurance Co., of Philadelphia,
Z. 9. North of Merchants Insurance Co.,
Newark, and J. c. Burger of Lancashire In
surance Co., of England.
The first trial was made at Market square,
where four lines of h ose attached to two hy-
drants were tried and it was found that four
good solid streams could be thrown far above
Aliens six story building or Granite Hal
Block and the difference between the amount
of water thrown or the distance was almost
imperceptible whether there were one or four
streams playing. From here the committee
went to the hydrant near the August. House
on State ST., where two streams were played
and apparently as large and powerful ones
as on Water street though this hydrant is
one hundred feet higher than those on the
lower street. The next point Wis
L..
Aims House, whicl is one of the highest
points in the system, and even at this high
level two perpendicular streams were thrown
distance of eigbty-six feet The commit
tee then proceeded to the reservoir, where
the very thorough work now being done was
examined and most favorably commented up
on. Wyman, Weber & Cages sash and
blind mandatory was next visited, and here
was found not only an ample supply of waite
but as well an equipped hose company as can
be found in any city. An alarm was sounded
on the whistle and in less than two minutes
the men who were at their benches, and one
of them under machine repairing the belts,
were out and had two powerful streams play
ing on the shop and dry house. The pump
ing station was then visited and all the de-
tails explained by the officers of the water
company, after which the hydrant at the cor
ner of Bangor and Cony, and on Arsenal
street near the steam mill, were tried, and
the fact demonstrated that the system is no
less effective on the east than on the west
side of the river. After ride to the hospital
reservoir, which is connected with the sys-
tenn, and which holds about six hundred thou
sand gallons, the committee returned to
their hotel very highly pleased with
what they had seen of the new system of wat
er works. They were unanimous in the
opinion that no city could make better
showing in this respect, in fact there is prob
ably not another instance in the country
where a system having no larger territory to
cover, has two reservoirs and these so located
as to materially benefit the fire services I'M
der all circumstances. Mr.. Manley the man.
ager of the Water Co., and Mr.. Shedd, its
consulting engineer, accompanied the COM
mittee and gave them all the information in
their power and expressed the wish that the
most thorough and complete one and it is
needless to say that this was done and though
the members are acquainted with nearly or
quite every fire department and water works
service in New England they regard this as
in every respect first class. They are BOW
visiting all mercantile and manufacturing
risks in the city and will rerate them on some
basis as other first class cities.
The following are the distances of
the various hydrants in the city
above the level of the river
Market Square, So ft. Augusta House, l24
46-l00 #. Poor Farm, POS #. High School,
l2O #. Corner Franklin and Northern Ave-
nue., ZIG #. Green street, 225 it Wymsn's
mill, ~ f.. Sturgis' mill, 80 it.; reservoir
level, 324 it.
The Hydrant on Green street is the high
es, in the city. 225 feet above the level of
the river Measurements taken of the stream
played through a one inch nozzle at the hy-
drant showed it to reach a height of eighty
six feet.
Chief Engineer Morse of the fire depart
ment said that the exhibition given exceeded
his most sanguine expectations, and the Wis
itors unite in pronouncing our water system
an admirable one.